CROSS RIVER YOUTH GIVE PRESIDENT BUHARI 24 HOURS ULTIMATUM TO REVOKE JUSTICE WALTER ONNEGHEN'S PURPORTED SUSPENSION OR FORGET COMING TO THE STATE TO CAMPAIGN FOR HIS RE-ELECTION
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION ADDRESS:
PURPORTED SUSPENSION OF CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA, HON. JUSTICE WALTER NKANU ONNOGHEN BY PRESIDENT MOHAMMADU BUHARI
Distinguished youth leaders, fellow Cross Riverians, fellow Nigeriains/Compatriots and
Ladies and gentle men of the press,
Youths present at this very crucial meeting,
We are gathered here today not as members of PDP or APC but simply as Nigerians and as Cross Riverians, we are all aware of the constitutional crisis our nation has been thrown into by our president, president Mohammadu Buhari and his cabals' ill decision to suspend the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen and replacing him with Alh. Justice Mohammed Tanko. We are deeply concerned as Cross Riverians hence our meetting here today speak against that illegal and unconstitutional suspension of one of ours. We as youths of this great State condemn the action of President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabals purporting to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria who is from our Cross River, in the South South and replacing him with an acting Chief Justice, Justice Mohammed Tanko from Bauchi, in the North east. This action of Mr. President and his cabals can best be described as an act of desperation taken too far. The action of the President is in violation of the Constitutional procedures for the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria as stipulated in section 292 of the Nigerian Constitution and represents a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy and a descent into Constitutional anarchy.
The Constitution of Nigeria is explicit in stating that the Chief Justice of Nigeria may only be removed from Office upon a motion supported by two-thirds of members of the Nigeria Senate on specified grounds. In purporting to remove the Chief Justice of Nigeria from Office, President Buhari has breached the Constitution and has acted with impunity and disdain for the rule of law, due process and constitutionality.
This act of tyrany, clearly is a declaration of war on the judiciary and must not be allowed to stand.
The idea of separating powers is one of the key differences between Democracy and the tyranny Buhari is promoting: We note that there are three arms of Govt - the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
Buhari by his action has clearly breached this doctrine.
No arm of Govt can solely remove the head of another arm of Govt - it has to be two arms against one.
the Legislature cannot remove Buhari as Head of the Executive without recourse to the Judiciary, what President Buhari is simply carrying out is a coup.
The doctrine of separation of powers is clear:
1.To remove the Executive, the Legislature and Judiciary must agree.
2.To remove the entire Legislature, the Judiciary and Executive must agree.
3.To remove the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive must agree.
In other words it must be two against one.
History has clearly shown that what Buhari has attempted is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
Never has any Head of the Executive so brazenly displayed a penchant for tyrannical behaviour as this.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal headed by Danladi Umar who is as much a lay man like us pretended to deliver justice but danced solely to the whims and caprice of the executive. Most appalling is the fact that the Danladi Umar himself has a case of corruption with EFCC and as such he is considered unworthy to adjudicate over any such matter. This means that our president ignores the case of corruption against Danladi Umar but uses him to perpetrate a coup against the judiciary.
We consider the experte order purpoted to have emannated from the Danladi Umar-headed CCT to the President as an illegal order that must be resisted.
Recall that there are several court orders including one from the Court of Appeal on this matter, preventing the CCT not only from making such reccomendations but from even trying the Chief Justice of Nigeria at all.
In essence, Buhari chosed to follow the tribunal rather than the law courts.
And the tribunal had no such powers in the first place;
President Buhari has suspended the Constitution thereby applying fascist rule. He has no power whatsoever under our democracy to unilaterally suspend CJN without the input of the National Assembly, especially the Senate.
This unconstitutional act of Mr. President has demonstrated that the government is pursuing an evil agenda against the judiciary. This is a dictatorship in the highest order. It means even the Nigerian Constitution has been suspended.
Nigerians accross the country, of all tribe and of all religions must rise up in unionism to defend our democracy. Buhari’s onslaught against democracy must be resisted by all men of goodwill. No doubt that Buhari has let loose full blown dictatorship where hard and fast rules have been introduced in place of our Constitution.
As Cross Riverians we consider this action as a direct assault on our collective aspirations to live in a united Nigeria. We shall resist this discriminatory action of the present government even with the last drop of our blood. Nigeria belongs to all of us therefore, we will no longer allow ourselves to be treated as second class beings.
Mr. President must review his action in the best interest of our corporate existence and revise the illegal suspension of the CJN with immediate effect.
WE THE YOUTH OF CROSS RIVER STATE HEREBY UNEQUIVOCALLY GIVE PRESIDENT BUHARI 24 HOURS ULTIMATUM TO REVOKE JUSTICE WALTER ONNEGHEN'S PURPORTED SUSPENSION OR FORGET COMING TO THE STATE TO CAMPAIGN FOR HIS RE-ELECTION
We therefore call on the Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Society Organisation, all political parties, Socio-political Organisations and indeed the international community to prevail on the Buhari-led government to back down on his divisive, highly discriminatory and unconstitutional actions before he sets the Country on fire. The destiny of our democracy is in shamble, the end of democracy in Nigeria is near and action must be taken quickly to right our wrongs, do justice and to save our future.
We call on all sons and daughters of our dear state to rise strongly with one voice against this action against one of ours.
God Bless the Youth!
God Bless Cross River State!!
God Bless Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR COMING
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